By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
With FIBA’s New Competition System launching in a year’s time, the Executive Committee announced positive news regarding player availability to their national teams for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Qualifiers and the decision to cover the costs of players’ insurance as well as to assume the responsibility of high level TV production of all the qualification games concerned.
At its meeting on Saturday-Sunday 12-13 November, the Executive Committee was informed of the latest progress regarding the preparations for the New Competition System.
The Regional Offices held productive workshops with 63 National Federations in all continents who also provided valuable feedback that allowed the Executive Committee to adjust the regulatory framework.
In particular, the Executive Committee was informed that FIBA received a letter from Euroleague Commercial Assets (ECA) confirming its rules neither prevent nor limit in any way the release of players to national team competitions.
The Executive Committee also confirmed that FIBA will cover the costs of the sports injury insurance related to all the players’ worldwide participation in the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers as of November 2017 as per revised FIBA insurance policy. This insurance will cover risks at games and practice sessions during the national team windows, as well as during the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 and the following Qualifiers, until the FIBA Continental Cups 2021 included.
On the matter of TV production, as the New Competition Format is being rolled out globally, across more than 140 countries in 5 continents, FIBA is committed to build a strong and consistent product providing high level coverage of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers for the benefit of fans and partners. In order to maximise the opportunities for National Federations to benefit from this new competition system, the International Basketball Federation has confirmed that FIBA Media will assume the responsibility of the Host Broadcasting production for all Division A games and their global distribution.
Finally, 157 National Federations were visited over the past 15 months and tailor-made development programs are being developed to support their efforts to participate successfully in the New Competition System.